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Post by DonDueed on Jan 12, 2022 21:26:02 GMT
Hm. Remember back when Shell was first introduced, I don't. I don't remember this character at all. About the only thing I don't like about GC is that the character page isn't updated and there are no links to "First Appearances" provided when a character who isn't one of the main protagonists shows up in a new comic after a gap. For a comic as lengthy and sprawling as GC, that makes it really hard sometimes to figure out who is who and why they're important. Well then drewdane, you may find this link bookmark-worthy: www.louisxiv.co.uk/gunnerkrigg/
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Post by drewdane on Jan 14, 2022 15:27:01 GMT
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Post by cottagecoreboxbot on Jan 27, 2022 16:55:11 GMT
Hellooooo! So, for what it's worth, I think Shell looks incredibly cute, her outfit is adorable, and whether or not the author intended her to be trans, her portrayal is one of the most on-the-nose trans arcs I've ever seen not to be explicitly confirmed as trans. I think the discussion about her attractiveness is bizarre, but mainly because, like... I mean, to each their own, I guess? Shell is very pretty. She's cranky, which detracts for some people, and she has a very pointy face, but it's like people are expecting every character to look like a Disney princess. Real people have diverse body types and diverse face shapes, and beauty is highly subjective. Kat and Annie both think Shell looks nice in her dress. also those leeegsss Anyways, as for her being trans: - Originally depicted with very short hair, suddenly changes her style - Traditionally "masculine" face shape - Resents chance of birth deciding one's fate, believes in fairness and equal access, may be projecting a little - Very flat-chested - Deeply dedicated to the Court, a place Reynard has told us that queer people often find sanctuary in - leeeegsss - Exceptionally pretty - Wears extra-feminine dresses when given the opportunity - Her being trans enhances her narrative, giving her a bit of a depth and a character arc seen only in the background and in implications
If you don't want to read her that way, that's fine. But it's not not there.
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Post by DonDueed on Jan 27, 2022 20:24:23 GMT
Hellooooo! So, for what it's worth, I think Shell looks incredibly cute, her outfit is adorable, and whether or not the author intended her to be trans, her portrayal is one of the most on-the-nose trans arcs I've ever seen not to be explicitly confirmed as trans. I think the discussion about her attractiveness is bizarre, but mainly because, like... I mean, to each their own, I guess? Shell is very pretty. She's cranky, which detracts for some people, and she has a very pointy face, but it's like people are expecting every character to look like a Disney princess. Real people have diverse body types and diverse face shapes, and beauty is highly subjective. Kat and Annie both think Shell looks nice in her dress. also those leeegsss Anyways, as for her being trans: - Originally depicted with very short hair, suddenly changes her style - Traditionally "masculine" face shape - Resents chance of birth deciding one's fate, believes in fairness and equal access, may be projecting a little - Very flat-chested - Deeply dedicated to the Court, a place Reynard has told us that queer people often find sanctuary in - leeeegsss - Exceptionally pretty - Wears extra-feminine dresses when given the opportunity - Her being trans enhances her narrative, giving her a bit of a depth and a character arc seen only in the background and in implications
If you don't want to read her that way, that's fine. But it's not not there. Welcome to the forum!
Good arguments all. You may be right. I guess we'll need Word of Tom for confirmation.
One point is pretty weak, though. Pretty much all the women in GC are rather flat-chested, so I don't see Shell standing out in that regard. (Pun intended.)
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Post by cottagecoreboxbot on Jan 30, 2022 19:21:54 GMT
Thank you for the welcome! Most of the women in Gunnerkrigg Court are pretty young (or are even still teenagers), but Shell seems to be at least in her thirties. Otherwise, I wouldn't have even mentioned it!
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Post by blahzor on Jan 31, 2022 4:25:07 GMT
Hellooooo! So, for what it's worth, I think Shell looks incredibly cute, her outfit is adorable, and whether or not the author intended her to be trans, her portrayal is one of the most on-the-nose trans arcs I've ever seen not to be explicitly confirmed as trans. I think the discussion about her attractiveness is bizarre, but mainly because, like... I mean, to each their own, I guess? Shell is very pretty. She's cranky, which detracts for some people, and she has a very pointy face, but it's like people are expecting every character to look like a Disney princess. Real people have diverse body types and diverse face shapes, and beauty is highly subjective. Kat and Annie both think Shell looks nice in her dress. also those leeegsss Anyways, as for her being trans: - Originally depicted with very short hair, suddenly changes her style - Traditionally "masculine" face shape - Resents chance of birth deciding one's fate, believes in fairness and equal access, may be projecting a little - Very flat-chested - Deeply dedicated to the Court, a place Reynard has told us that queer people often find sanctuary in - leeeegsss - Exceptionally pretty - Wears extra-feminine dresses when given the opportunity - Her being trans enhances her narrative, giving her a bit of a depth and a character arc seen only in the background and in implications
If you don't want to read her that way, that's fine. But it's not not there. Welcome to the forum! Good arguments all. You may be right. I guess we'll need Word of Tom for confirmation. One point is pretty weak, though. Pretty much all the women in GC are rather flat-chested, so I don't see Shell standing out in that regard. (Pun intended.)
i mean the only ones would be Brinnie or Bugsy?
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Post by drmemory on Jan 31, 2022 6:48:50 GMT
Something that nobody else has mentioned (that I can find), that bugs me every time I see it: Her eyelashes are upside down. They come out of the bottom of her eyes.
Not sure what Tom means to indicate by this, but I'm fairly sure that her character design is that way on purpose! Tom has used eye features for people before, like Zimmy's goth demonic look and the similar look Jack started to get when he had spiders on the brain. Anja's mostly closed eyes are memorable and part of her look.
Shell's personality and high level of aggression are also unusual, unique among those we have met in GC. If Tom isn't trying to hint that she is trans, then I'm not sure what he's getting at. But you know what? It doesn't matter in the least. These aren't real people! It's totally up to him what kind of people he wants to populate CG with. I'm sure there is all kinds of stuff going on with people we don't even see! The fact that we're seeing Shell more and that she has clearly changed means something, but it may or may not be relevant to the plot.
It's clear to me that Tom is trying to show something about Shell's growth/evolution using changes in how she is drawn. I just do not find Shell particularly likable, not back in the Spring Heeled days and not now. Perhaps she will grow on me. Perhaps not. Shell is far from the only character whose motives I find suspect, but the only one I actually find abrasive. I think I'd rather hang out with Ankou than Shell.
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Post by speedwell on Jan 31, 2022 9:27:13 GMT
Something that nobody else has mentioned (that I can find), that bugs me every time I see it: Her eyelashes are upside down. They come out of the bottom of her eyes.
It's not that I didn't notice. I thought the lower eyelashes were emphasised for artistic reasons, specifically to de-emphasise her upper eyelashes. I read it as "you expect to see eye makeup and there isn't any there" or even "there is eye makeup but it's done very ineptly". It's one of several clues I'm sure is intended to make Shell look like she's unattractive, even offputting. In a comic where outward appearances are deceiving and one major theme of the entire comic is how things aren't what they look like, I'm not surprised to have a couple thrown at us whose inner beauty is arguably hidden more deeply than usual. I'm actually pretty proud of the forum for not being all, "what can they possibly see in each other". We know.
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Post by imaginaryfriend on Jan 31, 2022 21:06:30 GMT
Something that nobody else has mentioned (that I can find), that bugs me every time I see it: Her eyelashes are upside down. They come out of the bottom of her eyes. It's not that I didn't notice. I thought the lower eyelashes were emphasised for artistic reasons, specifically to de-emphasise her upper eyelashes. I read it as "you expect to see eye makeup and there isn't any there" or even "there is eye makeup but it's done very ineptly". It's one of several clues I'm sure is intended to make Shell look like she's unattractive, even offputting. In a comic where outward appearances are deceiving and one major theme of the entire comic is how things aren't what they look like, I'm not surprised to have a couple thrown at us whose inner beauty is arguably hidden more deeply than usual. I'm actually pretty proud of the forum for not being all, "what can they possibly see in each other". We know. I thought "false lashes" when I first noticed but thinking about it more I have no idea. Shell seems like she would know how to properly apply makeup though maybe not always devote time to it, and maybe she's one who'd do something bleeding-edge with makeup. Maybe she's omitted wings because of how it might balance her face. Or it could just be character design. (shrug)
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Post by drmemory on Feb 1, 2022 5:14:41 GMT
Honestly, I'm still not sure what Tom is trying to show us here. It's not like he draws the characters photo-realistically! They are quite stylized really, showing what is important to understand what he wants us to know about them. I like it quite a lot, it's a very expressive art style, but I still don't know what he's going for with Shell and her misplaced lashes.
Intentionally making her unlikable? Hinting that she is trans? Could be either, both, or something else entirely. I imagine that if it is important to the plot, we'll learn about it eventually, but if it's just his vision for this character, then maybe not.
They aren't the only thing that makes her a bit different, just something that seemed both unique and relatively safe to comment on.
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